Push-button switch



-(No Model.)

H. E. NIGKERSON. PUSH BUTTON SWITCH.

N0. 558,299.v Patented Apr. 14, 1896.

flzwi'ckerdan' UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

HARRY EUGENE NIOKERSON, OF CAMBRIDGE, MASSACHUSETTS.

PUSH-BUTTON SWITCH.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 558,299, dated April 14, 1896.

Application filed December 7, 1895- Serial No. 571,387. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern.-

Be it known that I, HARRY EUGENE NICK- ERSON, a citizen of the United States, and a resident of Cambridge, in the county of Middlesex and State of Massachusetts, have invented a certain new and useful Improvement in Push-Button Switches for Incandescent Electrical Lighting, of which the following, taken in connection with the accompanying drawings, is a specification.

-My invention relates to improvements in push-button switches of single and double pole or three-way construction used in electrical incandescent lighting; and the objects of my improvement are, first, to produce a quick make-and-break positive-acting electric switch, and, second, to produce the posts to which the conductors or circuit-wires are attached at a minimum expense and efficient in construction. I attain these objects by the mechanism illustrated in the accompanying drawings, forming a part of this specification, in which- Figure 1 is a perspective view of my improved push-button switch organized for its Work with its circuits open, Fig. 2 being a transverse vertical section on line 2 2 of Fig. 1. Fig. 3 indicates a longitudinal section on line 3 3 of Fig. 1. Fig. 4E designates the aggrouped devices not exhibited in their entirety in the former views; and Fig. 5, a similar exhibit of the posts, their base-plate, and manner of assembling said parts.

Like characters designate corresponding features throughout the several views, referring to which- A is the porcelain receptacle having a central open partition 13 integral therewith, dividing said receptacle into two communicating chambers O O, sealed by the sheets of mica 0 A vulcanized base D of electrical non-conducting material is upheld by two metal brackets E E springing from and forming a part of the metal frame E, secured to the front of said receptacle, the latter also supporting the face-plate E forming the front.

said brackets E provides two catches for the semirotating latch-plate presentlydescribed. Said base D supports vertically upon each of its sides the circular plates F and G, these plates having, respectively, two rearwardlyprojecting sections F F and G G of dispro- One of portionate length, one of which is well observed in Fig. 4, which form the contactingarms, and which when semirotated make and break circuit alternately with their respective brush-contacts H H and I I, secured beneath their respective post-plates J J and K K, screwed to the back of each chamber beneath the posts T Tand T 1, (see Fig. 2,) to which the circuit-wires are secured by the binding-screws U. Said plate G is provided with a tongue projecting at right angles from its periphery, adapted to engage with the latch plate, the office of which with said latch-plate will be hereinafter more fully explained.

Resting on the bracket E is the semirotating' cam L, the rearward edge L, Fig. 1, forming the cam-path, and further provided at the middle of its opposite edge with a reflexed tongue-piece L which engages alternately, as the cam-plate is actuated, with the looped projecting ends M of a helical spring M, wound about the shouldered screw N, which supports the assembled devices, the ends of said screw resting in the previously-described brackets E E being secured therein by the nut N. (See Fig. 3.) Said cam L actuates the internal mechanism through pressure applied to the upper and lower p ush-buttons O and Othe former to igniteor make circuit,

the latter to extinguish or break circuit-by means of the push-arms P and P, which are pivotally secured to the top and bottom of said cam L, as in Fig. 1, and which are operated by said buttons. Resting upon said camplate will be observed the latch-plate Q, previously alluded to. At its rear edge it is provided with a reflexed flange Q, turned inwardly and resting over the cam-path L, by which it is actuated horizontally and rearwardly, its central aperture receiving the screw-journal N, being sufficiently enlarged for that purpose, and also transversely slotted at Q (see Fig.4) to seat the bow-spring R, whose ofiice is to retract and maintain the position of said latch-plate against its catches E in the bracket E, as the latch-plate is semirotated and released by forcing the latch or tongue Q situated diametrically to the extension Q, and also inwardly projecting, against one or the other of the catches E E, in the former to establish and in the latter to disestablish the circuit. A slot Q is also formed in the latch-plate adjacent to said latch or tongue Q which receives the arm G springing from the metal plate G, hereinbefore mentioned. Said arm passes through the looped ends of the spring M in the opposite direction from the tongue-piece L of the camplate L, with which it engages, and its action is such that the cam-plate L in its semirotation at once engages the upper looped end of said spring, through its tongue L forcing it apart from the lower looped end, which is held by the metal plate Gr, through its arm G until the latch or tongue Q is released from its catch E Briefly summarized, the total action is as follows: Pressure upon the button O,throu-gh its-push-arm P, semirotates the cam-plate L, putting tension at once on the upper loop of spring M, which tension is exerted through its coil M to the arm G holding the lower loop and forming a part of pl'ateG, but without immediately actuating it. The cam travcling perceptibly before it moves the latch plate Q, whose latch or tongue Q is in its lower catch E the tension of said spring momentarily increases until the cam is carried around sufficientl y to withdraw the latch from its catch, when the force of the spring M instantly semirotates the latch-plate, which 3 action releases it from the cam motion, the spring R then forcing the latch into the upper catch E carrying the plate G, with its inside contacts G G2 and F F, against the outside contacts I I and H II, and thus establishes the current for lighting.

The reverse of the above motions obviously shuts off the current and extinguishes the light.

I will proceed with a description of my improved singlepiecc post and accessories illustrated in Fig. 5; J designates the base pla-te supporting the post, provided with a central opening J terminating in reentering dovetailed angles J adjacent to the ends of the plate, thus fashioned to receive and secure the posts. The smaller apertures J nearer the ends, are for securing the plate, the post and the outside contacts together to the back of the porcelain receptacle.

T indicates the metal blank forming the post, provided with an oblong aperture T transversely, forming when struck up in the die the central recess receiving the circuit wire. (See perspective View.) Small apertures T (similar tothose in the base-plates J) receive the wire-binding screw U, while the tongues T at each end of the plate enter the reentering angles of the base-plate when the parts are organized and are there swaged into said angles from the under side in a secure manner.

The perspective of the plate and post ready for assemblage displays each device completed after leaving the die.

I will add that my improved post construction insures strength, greater stability, economy of material, with rapidity of production at a fraction of the expense requisite to older methods of construction.

WVhile in the preceding description I have expressed my preferred manner of constructing my improved switch, I desire not to restrict myself to the precise form of the various devices, but may employ therefor, substantially the same equivalents which would be within the fair scope and spirit of my invention.

Having ascertained the nature and operation of the invention, I claim-- 1. A latch plate having a flange and a tongue at opposite points of its periphery, in

combination with a pair of fixed catches adapted to engage the said tongue at the two extreme positions of the latter, a cam-plate arranged to act on the said flange to free said i tongue from such engagement, means for i giving axial motion to said cam-plate at will, 'a retractingspring for the said latch-plate, and contacts operated by the latter to make or break the circuit, the said spring turning ,on the said latch-plate when the latter is freed as aforesaid, an'd theopenin-g or closing of the circuit being determinedby one or f the other extreme axial position of the said latch-plate substantially as set forth.

2. In a switch the combination of an axiallymovable camplate havingareflexed tongue with a circuit-closing plate havin g a plate substantially as set forth.

similar tongue, a spring having one end acted on by the former tongue and the other lend held by the latter tongue, an axiallymovable latch-plate engaged and turned by the said spring, means for holding the said latch-plate against the action of the said spring and devices for freeing it at will so that it may be acted on thereby, the said latch-plate being adapted to turn the said circuit-closing plate to close or open circuit according to the position of-the said latch- 3. In combination with fixed and movable contacts-and an axially-movable plate carrying the former, a springhaving crossed arms one of which engages apart of the said plate, an axially-movable cam-plate engaged by the other arm of the said spring, an axially-movable latch-plate engaged by a projection of the plate first named, devices for engaging and locking the said latch-plate in one or the other of its ext'rc'mepositi'ons, and means for freeing it from such engagement, the said spring then operating to reverse the position of the said latch-plate and thereby to open or close the circuit substantially asset forth.

4. The combination with the latch-plate the cam-plate acting thereon-,- means whereby the said cam-plate is actuated, the circular plate having contact-arms, brushes arranged tobe engaged thereby, the shoulderedsupporting screw which constitutes an axis for the said plates the spring acting on said plates, and-a fixed bracket having upper and lower catches to engage the said latch-plate ICC IIO

in one or the other of its two extreme positions substantially as and for the purpose set forth.

5.' As a new article of manufacture a binding-post consisting of a flexible metal plate having its middle part cut away to leave an oblong aperture and bent in at the edges to form side walls for a chamber about the said aperture, said walls being also provided with dovetailed tongues for attachment to a bedplate and with a transverse opening for a binding-screw substantially as set forth.

6. In combination with an electric-conductor-receiving post having a body forming H. EUGENE NIOKERSON.

Witnesses GEORGE A. DAVIS, B. L. SPARROW. 

